Deontay Wilder vs. Joseph Parker: Start time, venue, how to watch and more
Former WBC heavyweight Deontay Wilder will return to action for the first time this year against another former world champion, Joseph Parker.
The two heavyweights will feature in the co-main event of the card named 'Day of Reckoning' on December 23. The card will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and will mark Wilder's first trip to the Kingdom ever since it became the newest hotspot for blockbuster fights.
The main card will start at 4 pm United Kingdom time or 11 am Eastern Time, with Wilder and Parker expected to make the walk to the ring at around 10:35 pm United Kingdom time or 5:35 pm Eastern Time. The expected ringwalk time is subject to change due to the variable nature of the undercard fight durations.
There is one major championship on the line on fight night between Dmitry Bivol and Lyndon Arthur for the WBA light heavyweight title.
Deontay Wilder weighs in on the possibility of Anthony Joshua super-fight
Deontay Wilder has endured a difficult phase in his professional career, suffering his only two losses ever in his last three fights.
He has also not fought for well over a year despite a clinical first-round knockout victory over Robert Helenius last year. A strong showing and a result against Joseph Parker could land him the mega-fight against Anthony Joshua.
Joshua will feature on the same card on December 23, taking on Otto Walin. Wilder spoke to Sky Sports and promised that the fight is being discussed:
"That's the biggest fight in the world. Now the moment has come where it's the closest that it's ever been in history right now. The closest that it's ever been. I'm excited to say that. I'm not 100 percent sure that it's going to happen. There's a lot of things that has gone on, a lot of things that has been done."
Deontay Wilder also revealed his own frustration about the delay in talks:
"You can't be 100 percent until that bell rings and that first punch has been thrown. It's been that way for a very long time. That fight, it's a situation where it's been hot and cold and every time the talks happened, it always gets back hot and then somehow it would die back down, it don't happen. If I said I wasn't frustrated I would be lying. It definitely has been a frustrating time and moment for me. In my eyes you've got one fighter that really, really wants it and then on the other side you've got another fighter that don't want it equally as bad as the other."
Check out Deontay Wilder's full comments in the interview below: